Programme Director
Director General of the Department of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi;
Directors General of DPME, DSI and Basic Education or their representatives that present here;
Deputy Directors General from the Department of Higher Education and Training;
KZN Regional Manager, Mr Bheki Ngubane and other Regional Managers;
Deputy Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, Professor Tinyiko Maluleke;
Vice Chancellors and Deputy Vice Chancellors of Universities; Representatives from the Social Partners;
Chairpersons and Principals of TVET and CET College;
CEOs of entities of the Department (SETAs, Quality Councils, NIHSS); CEOs of USAf and SAPCO;
Exco of the National Skills Authority;
Other Senior Government Officials present;
Student Representatives from SAUS and SATVETSA;
Members of the Committee for Integrated PSET System Planning Distinguished guests;
Members of the media; Ladies and gentlemen
Introduction
It gives me great pleasure to address you on this auspicious occasion of the launch and public release of the National Plan for Post-School Education and Training (NPPSET).
This plan is already in implementation, however today we want to officially introduce it to the entire sector and to the public.
Our launch of the Plan showcases government’s continuous effort towards achieving an improved, transformed, expanded, responsive and articulated Post-School Education and Training (PSET).
Our department of Higher Education and Training has the single largest number of entities of all the national government departments, with over 110.
South Africa’s PSET sector is one of the biggest in Africa with highly developed institutions that feature in the global arena of international education, training, research, technology development and innovation. We also have the single largest research infrastructure and systems on the African continent.
When the Sixth Administration took over in 2019, spending on education as a proportion of overall government expenditure was 22.7% in 2019/20 and 7.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), far exceeding the benchmarks set by UNESCO, which recommends allocating 15-20% of public spending to education and 4-6% of GDP to education.
As we draw closer to the end of the Administration, this trajectory is continuing.
In 2021/22 spending on education as a proportion of overall government expenditure was 22.6% and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 6.4% which continues to exceed the UNESCO benchmarks.
This shows that South African government continues to spend a large share of its national budget on education (both schooling and post- schooling). Our main challenge is to maximise the impact of this progressive educational investment.
About the plan
Ladies and gentlemen
Our National Plan for Post-School Education and Training (NPPSET) is a roadmap for implementing the vision of the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training (WP-PSET).
It is framed within the broader goals and priorities of the National Development Plan (NDP), which foregrounds the national efforts to address the triple challenges of unemployment, inequality, and poverty.
It is an overarching instrument and a blueprint for guiding planning in our PSET sector.
It aligns and integrates the work that is already underway and provides a policy framework for major transformative changes Government wants to bring about across the PSET system and its nexus with society and the economy.
The National Plan for Post School Education and Training has six goals which are the drivers for the system.
These drivers are the following:
- An integrated, coordinated and articulated PSET system;
- Expanded access to PSET opportunities;
- A responsive PSET system, with appropriate size and shape;
- Improved relations between education and training institutions and the world of work;
- Improved quality of PSET provision; and
- Improved efficiency and success of the PSET system
I therefore would like to focus my address today to these drivers and provide progress that we have thus far achieved in the implementation of the plan.
An integrated, coordinated and articulated PSET system
Through this Plan, we are setting out clear implementation strategies to achieve the changes proposed in the White Paper, while paying close attention to the need for careful transitions, recognising that the various components of the PSET system have often operated completely separately.
We are bringing together institutions and traditions that have different histories and investments and propose ways of making them work together towards common goals.
We are consolidating and building on those aspects of the system that are working well whilst also streamlining a wide range of policies, plans, and strategies currently in existence that impact on the system without reducing its diversity.
In respect to Articulation, the Department developed Articulation Policy for the Post-School Education and Training System of South Africa in 2017.
The Policy was established to create an enabling environment to ensure that articulation occurs within and between NQF sub-frameworks, institutions work together to develop learning and work pathways and support to students as they follow their individual learning and work pathways.
We also conducted a comprehensive evaluation study on the implementation of the National Qualification Framework Act, (Act No, 67 of 2008), on how articulation was implemented by both TVET colleges and universities.
The baseline study was also conducted to determine how articulation was practiced within and between higher education institutions. The study has identified a number of challenges in how articulation works across the entire PSET system. The major challenge still remains to optimise articulation pathways between universities, TVET Colleges and CET Colleges and without cul-de-sacs in the system. We must also fund and properly resource articulation.
I must say that we are resolute to build a single, coordinated post-school education and training system that will have expanded access to opportunities, improved quality and increased diversity of provision with a stronger and more cooperative relationship between education and training institutions and the workplace.
Our overall objective is to improve the capacity of the post school education and training system to meet the needs of the country, to assist in building a fair, equitable, non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic South Africa.
We aim to build a skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path.
Expansion of access to PSET opportunities
In the quest to expand access to PSET opportunities we have introduced various funding streams which include the National Skills Fund (NSF), the National Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), the National Research Foundation (NRF), the National Institute for Human and Social Sciences (NIHSS), Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and the International Scholarships Programme.
Student funding
In relation to the Student Funding, I am glad that we are making significant strides in our mission of consolidating the student funding policy in the sector.
I will be submitting a clear proposal on a Comprehensive Student Funding Policy to Cabinet before the end of the year, based on extensive consultations with financial institutions, student organizations, university and TVET College leaders, and international benchmarking.
Through this we aim to introduce measures to specifically support categories of students in the so-called ‘missing middle’ income groups who are unable to access NSFAS funding.
At its inception in 1991, NSFAS had a budget of R21.4 million allocated to the first cohort of about 7000 students.
We are proud to say that NSFAS is currently funding 1.1 million students with a budget allocation of R47,6 billion in the 2023 academic year. This represents an unprecedented growth in investment in our educational future.
Of this amount, universities have been allocated R38.6 billion and TVET Colleges R8,9 billion for the first time we have passed the 1 million mark. In 2023, SASSA beneficiaries account for 49% of the funded students in 2023.
Improved relations between education and training institutions and the world of work
In relation to skills development, through the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) combined, we opened up 52 701 learnership opportunities to the value of R1.6 billion in the 2022/23 financial year alone.
In the current financial year we have also opened up 14 475 internships opportunities to the value of R758 Million and 14 954 TVET placement opportunities to the value of R726 Million and we also committed to achieve a target of 20 000 placements of TVET graduates work placements.
SETAs combined also opened up 7 095 university students work placements to the value of R311 Million and we also awarded 13 169 bursaries in various fields on skills in high demand to the value of R970 Million.
We opened 34 514 skills programs opportunities for the unemployed to the value of R278 Million.
We also reskilled and upskilled 36 502 individuals in various sectors of the economy to the value of R494 Million.
A sum of R1,7 billion was disbursed by the National Skills Fund towards its bursaries programme in 2021/22, benefitting students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in scarce and critical skills. In the current financial year, at least 5 000 students will receive NSF funding for undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Our task as a Department is to change the size and shape of our PSET system particularly to expand the college sector. The Plan directs that we should drastically increase intake in TVET and Community Colleges.
TVET Colleges
In relation to the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector, we want to massify our TVET Colleges to 2.5 million enrolments by 2030.
Currently there are 26 colleges that are engaged in entrepreneurial training through our Entrepreneurship Hubs. We are working to ensure that all our colleges are involved in some form of entrepreneurship training in the next three (3) years.
We have also expanded our Centres of Specialisation from 26 to 34 Centres at 20 TVET Colleges with a further investment of R68 million and 16 Colleges now have 35 Trade Test Centres. These trade test centres have trade tested over 600 artisans of which over 500 have qualified as artisans.
We have also witnessed student growth in several colleges that have now begun to embrace the use of technology in their enrolment processes and reducing the number of walk-ins at TVET colleges.
Community Colleges
In relation to our Community Colleges, we want to also massify them targeting 1 million enrolments in line with the NDP targets by 2030.
Through our Community Colleges, we have made both youth and adults, with a particular focus on the youth our important focus on the youth that is “Not in Education, employment or training (NEET).
I have asked the Department to establish this year a database of those in this category and craft targeted interventions to improve their status.
We have also created opportunities for our older generation who wish to enter our educational institutions.
The National Skills Fund has allocated R200 million to ensure that we achieve our objective of increasing offerings of skills programmes in our CET Colleges.
Through the National Skills Fund, we have also allocated funds for capacity building of Community College lecturers, introduced skills programmes, learnerships and non-formal programmes. This includes the introduction of Civic Education.
Infrastructure Development
My Department has to date, invested over R3.701 billion for the maintenance and repairs of TVET Colleges’ infrastructure through the Capital Infrastructure and Efficiency Grant (CIEG) since the grant inception during the 2018/19 financial year.
In relation to TVET Capital Projects, a total of nine (9) TVET College Campuses have been completed at a cost of R2.6 billion.
We have completed feasibility studies for the establishment of the University of Science and Innovation in Ekurhuleni and the Crime Detection University in Hammanskraal. Cabinet will be considering its funding and implementation modalities in the coming months.
We have also commenced with a feasibility study for the establishment of the Giyani Education Precinct through the establishment of a University Campus with the Tshwane University of Technology.
I am also pleased that the construction design phase for the Ulundi Campus of the University of Zululand will commence in this current financial year and that the actual construction should commence in the 2024/25 financial year.
We are also investing in infrastructure for Community Colleges, for the first time in the history of the PSET.
R1 billion rand has been secured within our budget over a three-year period for the construction of nine (09) Community College Learning Centres and construction of the first three Community College Centres is in the current 2023/24 financial year.
In all infrastructure projects we ensure that we customise our teaching to cater for the requirements of the people living with disabilities.
Improved quality of PSET provision
To ensure that the entire public sector university system is developed, we are intensifying the implementation of the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP).
Over a period of seven (7) years, we have allocated a total of 758 lecturer posts to universities and in the current financial year additional 85 posts will be allocated to universities as part of the New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP).
This brings the total allocated posts to universities to 843 by end of the 2023/24 financial year.
Of the total of 583 lecturers participating (nGAP), 338 (58%) are Female and 245 (42%) are Males; 569 are Black (African, Coloured and Indian) and 14 are White.
For the TVET college sector, the NDP also encourages the PSET system to support the development of programmes in universities focusing on training college lecturers.
The Department has ensured that a framework is developed to enable universities to offer accredited TVET colleges lecturing qualifications.
To this end, by end of 2021 academic year, 21 universities were offering accredited TVET college lecturing qualifications. There were 119 against TVET college lecturers who were supported to acquire professional qualification in 2021 academic year.
Improved responsiveness of the PSET system
To improve the responsiveness of the PSET System, I approved the Skills Strategy to support economic reconstruction and recovery initiatives of government announced by the Honourable President, Cyril Ramaphosa in October 2020.
The Strategy mandates the Department to lead skills development as we rebuild and recover from the effects of Covid-19.
The Strategy is being implemented in collaboration with the 21 SETAs and other entities under the auspices of the department, in conjunction with other government departments and key stakeholders ensuring that the PSET system responds to the skills demands of the economy.
The NDP directs us to improve the skills planning system and shape the production of skills in South Africa. The NPPSET directs us to intensify efforts towards addressing the imbalances of skills supply and demand in the country.
The Labour Market Intelligence Programme led by the Department produces cutting edge research that informs decision making in policy, funding, programme and qualification provisioning at institutional level.
Through the Programme the Department produces the List of Occupations in High Demand and the Critical Skills List every two years.
In the next two months, I will be launching the updating the National List of Occupations in High Demand and the pilot provincial lists of Occupations in High Demand in collaboration with two provinces of Mpumalanga and Western Cape.
I have instructed the Department to lead a process of reconceptualising the country’s Human Resource Development Strategy and develop a Master Skills Plan under the theme ‘One Country One Plan’.
This ground-breaking initiative will provide strategic direction to the country’s skills system, bring about coherence in skills provisioning and clarify institutional arrangements and ensure that skills development in South Africa is relevant and responsive to the needs of the economy and society.
It will not only provide a focused mechanism for ensuring availability of human resources but will also address the skills supply and demand disequilibrium. In this regard, I intend to approach Cabinet with a proposal for its consideration.
As indicated before, our Government introduced the Community Education and Training Colleges as another institutional type to make our PSET system more responsive to the diverse needs of our economy.
Improved efficiency and success of the PSET system
The sector is already demonstrating positive returns on investment on a number of areas. Universities have managed to exceed graduate targets set for 2018, 2019 and 2020 academic years.
For the 2021 academic year, 6 185 more graduates were produced over the targeted 227 072.
Considering that the 2020 to 2021 academic years were impacted by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, our institutions must be applauded for ensuring continuity of academic programmes amid difficulty.
In the 2021 academic year, there were 15 Universities that were active in the production of skills in scarce areas, for instance in the animal science field of study. Collectively they produced 1 509 animal science graduates, which was 561 more than the targeted 948 for the year.
The 2021 academic year continued the cycle of achieving approved targets for the veterinary science. I am satisfied with this performance, given the national needs for veterinary scientists.
These are some of the by-products linked to the roadmap given by the National Plan for PSET.
As we release the Plan today, I am confident that it will take the confidence of the people of South Africa on the country’s post schooling system to the next level.
As we implement this Plan and promote integrated planning, I expect the sector to produce even better results in future.
I am pleased to announce that the Director General has established a Planning Committee to assist the Post-School Education and Training Sector with better planning, promote an enabling environment for effective use of resources in the system in order to improve capacity, quality and responsiveness.
The work of the Committee starts immediately and will be having its inaugural meeting tomorrow.
Conclusion
As I close, may I indicate that the success of the NPPSET depends on the quality and scope of strategic partnerships between DHET, PSET entities, all our social partners, students, government departments and other stakeholders.
This Plan requires all of us to work hand in hand to achieve the ambitious goals that we have set for ourselves. I believe this Plan is a true Mkombandlela ye Mfundo ephakeme eningizimu Africa!
Ngiyabonga!!! I thank you.
